The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 167

Chapter 167: Chapter 167 Victory Celebration 4
Now, all eyes shifted towards Minerva and Alice, the two figures often at the center of the disputes that seemed to follow whenever they approached Hera. At that moment, a collective realization swept through the group, shedding light on the recurring source of conflict.

And in fact, this is what Hera wanted to achieve. Alice probably not only wanted to get close to Xavier in the Variety Show but also, to bolster her popularity by projecting an image of a sweet girl next door vibe who seems genuine, magnanimous, pure, and kindhearted. But who told her to target Hera in the show?

Had Alice not set her sights on Hera, she could have at least made progress toward one of her goals, allowing her to focus on the next objective if opportunities presented themselves. However, Alice’s eagerness to win Xavier’s affections drove her to recklessness, a vulnerability that Hera astutely exploited.

Hera’s inner villainess was practically gleeful at Alice’s evident distress, but she wisely kept her thoughts to herself, not wanting to reveal her true intentions. In a surprisingly good mood, Hera kindly reminded everyone, “The Victory Celebration is scheduled for lunch, and I hope to see everyone there.” With the sweetest smile she could manage, she excused herself and headed to her room to prepare for a much-needed shower.

Hera believed that she wouldn’t be able to kill her enemies with schemes and acting vile but the only thing that could kill them was her kindness, letting them be plagued by their own guilty conscience and the ‘what ifs’, by doing this, she’ll kill them slowly mentally and this will be their true downfall.

It sounds evil but that’s the most effective plan she could think of, since Alice has the world backing her, Hera could only create her own defensive measure and hide behind the male leads if she successfully enlisted them to be her knight in shining armor. But for now, she could only play dirty.

While Hera wasn’t accustomed to such tactics and initially hesitated to employ them, Alice and Minerva’s repeated smears against her name left her with little choice. After gathering her thoughts and packing up in her room, she went out to take a shower. Coincidentally, Leo emerged from his room at the same time, also ready for a shower after his rest.

So when he noticed Hera coming from her room too, his deadpan expression transformed into a wide smile. “You going to take a shower?”

Hera nodded as she walked closer to Leo but not too close because she felt insecure because she was sweaty all over and she didn’t want him to smell her, even though she knew she did not smell but she was still embarrassed, to say the least.

As Leo noticed Hera maintaining a bit of distance, he felt a pang of disappointment. He wanted to get closer but saw Hera take a step back, her actions perplexing him. Leo’s wide smile froze momentarily, sensing Hera’s apparent avoidance. He took another step forward, only to observe Hera becoming visibly fidgety and shy. It dawned on him that she might be feeling self-conscious about her sweat and worried about any potential odor. Leo found her shyness cute and felt tempted to tease her further, but he restrained himself, aware that Hera might genuinely get upset.

Leo stepped aside, gesturing for Hera to proceed first. She hesitated momentarily before darting out of the hallway toward the stairs. Agilely avoiding Leo, she resembled a rabbit fleeing from its predator, prompting a chuckle from Leo as he touched his nose. ‘How can she be this cute?’ he mused to himself.

After half an hour, Hera emerged from the bathroom, her face still flushed from the hot shower, but she looked remarkably refreshed and contented. Leo observed her every expression from the sidelines. Sensing someone’s gaze on her, Hera glanced around, only to meet Leo’s intense blue eyes fixed on her. She instinctively averted her gaze and said, “You can take a shower now,” Before she dashed back to her room.

She didn’t understand why she was running away; she just felt like a deer caught in headlights whenever Leo looked at her. It wasn’t a bad feeling, but rather a fluttering in her stomach, stirring sensations that left her both intrigued and a little flustered.

Once Hera, Leo, Xavier,, and Zen finished packing and freshening up, they made their way back to the hall, knowing that lunchtime was approaching and the villagers would be waiting for them. As they descended the stairs, they found the cabin empty, assuming that the other participants had already made their way there.

They didn’t take long to reach the hall. Upon entering, they were greeted by confetti crackers lining both sides of the grand door, and the room erupted with loud applause and cheers, celebrating their victory in the race. Smiles stretched across everyone’s faces, and at the center of it all stood Bry and his family, their eyes brimming with gratitude. The prize money they had won would go towards Bry’s uncle’s leg operation, a fact that filled the room with warmth and appreciation. Despite initial protests, Hera, Xavier, and Zen insisted that Bry’s family keep the prize, knowing that they needed it most. It took some convincing, but eventually, Bry’s family relented, moved by their generosity.

Aunt Sabby’s son took the initiative to present Hera with a bouquet of wildflowers he had gathered from around the village, adorned with the most beautiful ribbon his mother could find. Overwhelmed by the gesture of affection from everyone, Hera’s eyes sparkled with happiness, and her nose turned slightly red as her lips curved into a sweet smile. The young man couldn’t help but blush at the sight of Hera’s radiant expression, feeling a sense of pride that his efforts had brought her joy.

However, standing beside Hera were two jealous men who found the wildflowers to be an eyesore, itching to snatch them from her arms and toss them aside. They even viewed Aunt Sabby’s son with disdain, but seeing Hera’s genuine happiness, they begrudgingly held their tongues. All they could do was purse their lips in silence, unable to disrupt Hera’s joyous moment.

As the celebration commenced, Bry’s father and several other villagers proudly unveiled their prized liquor, which they had been saving for this very occasion. Without hesitation, they invited the stars of the celebration, along with Leo and the Director, to join them in a toast. The room erupted in cheers as everyone raised their glasses. Meanwhile, the aroma of delicious food filled the air, and laughter echoed throughout the hall as people savored the festivities. Even the other participants found themselves pleasantly surprised, realizing for the first time the warmth and hospitality of the villagers. Reflecting on their past condescension, they now regretted their earlier arrogance and embraced the spirit of the celebration with newfound appreciation.

This was what the majority of the participants were thinking, but not the wealthy and arrogant Minerva who still held onto her disdainful views, and not the absentminded Alice who was now racking her brain on what to do next after seeing Xavier being so close to Hera.

Alice’s initial plan was to approach Hera in Xavier’s presence, intending to apologize and showcase her purported kindness, hoping to salvage her image, particularly in Xavier’s eyes. Yet, to her surprise, Hera took the magnanimous route, effortlessly winning over everyone’s hearts in the process.

Alice’s somber demeanor did not escape notice, but amidst the joyous festivities, no one seemed inclined to address her. Instead, they all immersed themselves in the cheerful atmosphere, relishing the delectable food to their heart’s content. And even though the liquor was not up to par with what most of them drink in the city but they feel like it was the warmest and most delicious right now.

Hera’s plate overflowed with an array of dishes as people continuously added more to it, their hands moving quicker than her mouth could keep up with. Xavier and Leo took particular delight in feeding Hera, eagerly offering her one dish after another without waiting for her to finish what was already on her plate. Meanwhile, Zen and the rest, also eager to pamper Hera, found themselves pushed to the sidelines by the two men’s enthusiastic attentiveness.

When Hera reached the point of feeling like she might burst from eating, that’s when she reacted. She pouted her still-greasy lips and complained, “Stop! I’m not a pig, you know!” Despite her annoyance, a playful glint lingered in her eyes.